Loom feeler mechanism



AprilZ, 1957 c. L. WHITLEY, SR

LOOM FEELER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 10, 1954 FIG. 1.

.lii f INVENTOR. WH/ 745v, se.

2,787,292 Patented An 1957 LOOM FEELER MECHANISM Charlie L. Whitley, Sn, La Grange, Ga.

Application December 10, 1954, Serial No. 474,378

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-281) This invention relates to loom feeler mechanisms, and more particularly to an improved feeler mechanism, for a loom especially adapted to provide a positive interlock between the feele-r element of the mechanism and the transmission rod operating the filling replenishingmechanism when the need for replenishment of yarn occurs on the loom.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loom feeler mechanism which is simple in construction, which is reliable in operation, and which is not affected by shaking or jarring, of the loom or by bouncing of the shuttle in the shuttle box.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved loom feeler mechanism which is inexpensive to fabricate, which is rugged in construction, and which is arranged to provide positive action regardless of the speed of the loom on which it is mounted.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of an improved loom feeler mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FigureZ is a side elevational view of the feeler mechanism shown in Figure 1, said view beingtaken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the loom feeler mechanism of Figure l with the cover plate thereof removed.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the positions of the parts when the filling on the quill of a shuttle is depleted.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the end portion of the feeler element employed in the improved feeler mechanism of Figures 1 to 5.

Referring to the drawings, the feeler mechanism is designated generally at 11 and comprises a base member 12 which is formed with a recess 13 and which is provided with a removable top cover 14. The recess 13 is formed at one side thereof with a guideway 15 opening at one end of the base member 12, said guideway comprising a shouldered portion 16 on which is movably positioned the feeler element 17. The feel'er element 17 comprises a shank portion 18 which merges with a V-shaped bend 19, terminating in an arm 20 which is transversely disposed with respect to the shoulder 16 in the recess 13, as is clearly shown in Figure 3. The shank portion 17 extends through the open end of the guideway 15 and is formed with the closed triangular loop 20' having a channel 21 formed in its outer face, as is clearly shown in Figure 6. Secured in the channel 21 is a resilient spring member 22 which extends through the channel 21 and which is provided with the contact projections 23 spaced therealong, said projections being adapted to engage the filling 24 on a quill 25 when the shuttle carrying the quill is in its front center position.

A coiled spring 26 in the recess 13 has one end thereof secured at 27 to the arm 20 and has the other end thereof engaged on a pin 28 in the upper portion of the recess 13, as viewed in Figure 3, whereby the feeler element 17 is biased outwardly through the open end of the guideway 15.

The arm 20 of the feeler 17 is formed at its end with the upstanding flange element 29 defining an abutment element which is engageable with an abutment element 36 formed on a lever 31 pivoted at its intermediate portion in the recess 13, as shown at 32. Designated at 33 is the transmission rod for initiating the operation of the filling replenishing mechanism, said transmission rod being pivotally connected at 34 to the end portion of lever 31.

As will be well understood, longitudinal movement of thetransmission rod 33 initiates operation of the filling replenishing mechanism in the well known manner. As shown in Figure l, the transmission rod 33 is connected to conventional filling replenishing structure 35, forming no part of the present invention.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the abutment element 36 on the lever 31 is located closely adjacent to the pivotal connection 32 of the lever and is arranged so that when the abutment element 3ilis engaged by theabutment flange 29 on the lever arm 2h under normal conditions by the action of the coiled spring 26, as where the shank portion 13 of the feeler element 17 is extended without being in contact with the quill '25 and the filling thereon, the force of the spring 26 in itself is insufficient to rotate the lever 31. Furthermore, when there is a sufiicient supply of filling 24 on the quill 25, with the shuttle in the front center position, whereby the feeler element 17 engages the filling 24, as shown in Figure 3, the abutment element 29 will be spaced from the lever abutment element 33, so that the longitudinal movement of the shuttle, transmitted by the engagement of the contact elements 23 with the filling 24 as the shuttle moves away from this position, has no effect on the lever 31 and does not cause any rotation thereof. However, when the filling 24 becomes depleted and the feeler element 17 is thus moved outwardly a sufiicient distance so that the abutment element 29 engages the abutment element 30 while the projections 23 are in contact with the quill 25, as in Figure 4, the longitudinal movement of the quill and shuttle immediately following the front center position of the shuttle causes the feeler element 17 to be rotated in the guideway 15 and thus causes the abutment mem ber 29 to transmit rotational torque to the lever 31 by its engagement with the abutment member 30, causing the lever 31 to be rotated clockwise from its position of Figure 3 to the position thereof shown in Figure 4. This causes longitudinal movement of the transmission rod 33 and initiates the operation of the filling replenishing mechanism.

The lever 31 is formed with a recess 3-6 adjacent the abutment arm 30 thereof, said recess 36 being arranged to receive the edge of the abutment flange 29 when the feeler element 17 has been moved into the position thereof shown in Figure 4, as by the depletion of the filling 24 on the quill 25, whereby the recess 36 acts as a fulcrum. for the edge of the flange 29 and whereby an interlocked relation is established between the abutment elements 29 and 30 causing positive torque to be transmitted to the abutment element 30 from the abutment element 29 when the feeler 17 is rotated, as above described, by the longitudinal movement of the shuttle and its quill 25 immediately following the front center position of the shuttle.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the guideway 15 is defined between a marginal wall 40 at one side of the base 12 and an embossment 41 formed in the upper intermediate portion of the recess 13, said embossment 41 also defining one side of a recessed portion 42 in which the upper portion of the lever 41 is movable.

While a specific embodiment of an improved loom feeler mechanism has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loom, a transmission rod mounted on the loom to move longitudinally and initiate the operation of the filling replenishing mechanism carried by said loom, a feeler mechanism comprising a base member disposed adjacent said rod, a lever pivoted on said base member and connected to said rod, said base member being formed with a recess having a shouldered portion and being further formed to define a guideway opening at one end of the bme member, a feeler element slidably mounted in said shouldered portion and extending through said guideway for movement relative to said lever, and means on said feeler element engageable with said lever to rotate the lever when the feeler element is moved to a predetermined position.

2. In a loom, a transmission rod mounted on the loom to move longitudinally and initiate the operation of filling replenishing mechanism carried by said loom, a feeler mechanism comprising a base member disposed adjacent said rod, a lever pivoted on said base member and connected to said rod, said base member being formed wtih a recess having a shouldered portion and being further formed to define a guideway opening at one end of the base member a feeler element disposed in said shouldered portion and extending through said guideway, said guideway being formed and arranged to guide said feeler element toward engagement with filling on the quill of a shuttle of the loom in the front center position of the shuttle, said feeler element being rotatable in said guideway responsive to longitudinal movement of the shuttle, and means on said feeler element engageable with said lever to rotate the lever when the feeler element is moved to a predetermined position.

3. In a loom, a transmission rod mounted on the loom to move longitudinally and initiate the operation of filling replenishing mechanism carried by said loom, a feeler mechanism comprising a base member disposed adjacent said rod, a lever pivoted on said base member and connected to said rod, said base member being formed with a recess having a shouldered portion and being further formed to define a guideway opening at one end of the base member, a feeler element disposed in said shouldered portion and extending through said guideway, said guideway being formed and arranged to guide said feeler element toward engagement with the filling on the quill of a shuttle of the loom in the front center position of the shuttle, said feeler element being rotatable in said guideway responsive to longitudinal movement of the shuttle, an abutment element on said lever, and a lever arm on said feeler element engageable with said abutment element to rotate the first-named lever when the feeler element is moved to a predetermined position.

4. In a loom, a transmission rod mounted on the loom to move longitudinally and initiate the operation of filling replenishing mechanism carried by said loom, a feeler mechanism comprising a base member disposed adjacent said Ted, a lever pivoted on said base member and connected to said rod, said base member being formed with a recess having a shouldered portion and being further formed to define a guideway opening at one end of the base member, a feeler element disposed in said shouldered portion and extending through said guideway, said guideway being formed and arranged to guide said feeler element toward engagement with filling on the quill of a shuttle of the loom. in the front center position of the shuttle, said feeler element being rotatable in said guideway responsive to longitudinal movement of the shuttle, an abutment element on said lever, and a lever arm on said feeler element engageable with said abutment element to rotate the first-named lever when the feeler element is moved to a predetermined position, said first-named lever being formed with a recess adjacent said abutment element to receive the end of said lever arm and provide an interlocked pivotal relation of said abutment element and the end of the lever arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,369,478 Snow Feb. 22, 1921 1,387,205 Snow Aug. 9, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS 267,924 Switzerland July 1, 1950 

